What The Water Gave Me
by FaithGledhill
Summary: The rebellious English socialite, desperate to escape her scandalous past, and the wealthy American heir ... both board the R.M.S Titanic, where their paths cross and romance blossoms. But it's not to last; no sooner has the great ship brought the two together, when disaster strikes and threatens to tear them apart forever. Who survives, and who follows Titanic to her watery grave?
1. Prologue

_April 10th, 1912  
9am_

She watched in horror as numerous men and women, some of whom she had never even seen before stripped the room bare of all it's decoration; items of clothing were packed away neatly in suitcases and carried outside, whilst ornaments and various trinkets were pulled from shelves and placed into wooden trunks, a number of which were strewn across the floor waiting to be filled. Persephone Swan wanted nothing more than to stop them all in their tracks, there and then, for these were HER things that they were manhandling and they had no right to be doing so! In fact, she had specifically requested that SHE be the one to pack away her things, and not the servants. Alas, as per usual, her pleas had gone unheard and there was very little she could do about it now.

"How long before we leave?" Persephone called out dryly, hearing approaching footsteps which she instantly recognized as those of her mother. She did not even turn her head, nor did she move from the spot by the door which she had occupied for the last two and a half hours. A part of her feared that if she left these people to their task, or even as much as looked away, then they would forget something... something important; something which she NEEDED.

"Exactly one hour, my dear. Are you dressed?" The older woman came up behind her and placed an affectionate hand upon her daughters arm. With a roll of her eyes, Persephone shifted away and folded her arms across her chest.

"Give that here!" She held out her hand to a rather startled looking steward, who quickly gave in to her demands and presented her with a small, tattered little book which he had retrieved from her bedside desk. Persephone placed it under her arm and with a small inclination of her head, she smiled and finally turned her gaze on her mother. "One hour? But... surely that does not give us enough time to pack EVERYTHING away? Look... these people have not even removed half of my things from my room; there is still much to do!"

"Persephone, darling, I have already told you... you cannot take all of this with you. At least, not yet. Grady has promised to have the rest of our things shipped over to New York in good time. For now, we must only take essentials. We WILL leave in an hour, and you WILL be ready. Do you understand?" Muriel Barrett grabbed her daughter by the arm, forcing the girl to look her in the eye. Persephone said nothing, her lips pursed as she bit back an objection; she knew it would be no use. She had already voiced her opinions about all of this, but no one had listened. No one EVER listened. All Mama seemed to care about was giving in to her husbands wishes; what her daughter wanted seemed obstanate in comparison. "Do you understand?" Her voice softened a little as she repeated her question, though her gaze remained stern and unforgiving until Persephone relented and nodded to her. "Good. Now stop dilly-dallying, and change your clothes. I cannot have you appearing in public looking like that! We are first class, darling... not steerage." She chuckled and jokingly tugged on a loose piece of fabric which poked out of the sleeve of the girls dress.

"I'll change." Persephone snapped, her face a frown as she once again removed her arm from her mothers grip and stepped back. Taking a deep breath, she turned away until she felt quite certain that Muriel was gone. The moment her footsteps died away, she found herself overwhelmed with guilt; she always spoke down to her mother, disrespected her and challenged her for no apparent reason. And she nearly always regretted it, once it was too late and the damage was done. But the events of recent months had hardened her a great deal, and she no longer felt like the person she had been this time last year... the person her mother still wanted her to be. Things were different now, and once again, change was upon her.


	2. Chapter 1: Making Headlines

_~ Two Weeks Earlier ~_

"Have you seen the Standard?" Grady all but burst into the living room, newspaper in hand; Persephone could not help but notice that he looked somewhat uneasy. In truth, she cared not about the reason for his distress, yet she knew she would have to endure hearing all about it anyway, and so placed down her book, lifted her head and resigned herself to her dreary fate.

"No, darling. What is it?" Muriel Barrett cocked her head, looking up at her husband in bemusement. Grady, meanwhile, was watching Persephone - who knew at that moment, that whatever it was had something to do with her. He threw the newspaper down, sending it flying across the table where Muriel grabbed it and closely examined the front page. Persephone held her silence, folding her hands together neatly in her lap as she looked from her mothers face to her stepfathers; she was determined to keep her cool, even though she had a sneaking feeling what the article in question was about.

"Recently divorced Lord Helmsley finds solace in the arms of beautiful socialite!" Muriel launched the newspaper at her daughter, who looked down at it - only to see her own smiling face staring up at her from the front page. "Care to explain, Persephone?"

"How could you be so foolish, girl?" Grady broke in, pacing up and down the room and running a hand through his hair - making a mountain out of a molehill, as always.

"It's not what it looks like, I swear," Persephone retorted, reading through the article before she once again eyed the adjoining photograph in horror; there she was, emerging from the Ritz Hotel hand in hand with one of London's most important and influential politicians. Richard Carmichael, or Lord Helmsley as most knew him as, was a great deal older than she, yet he had somehow retained his rugged good looks and Persephone had found herself growing quite fond of the man in the short time they had known one another. They had met through a mutual friend not five weeks ago, and he had taken her out to dinner at least four times since then - though it was not until yesterday evening that the press had caught wind of their blossoming friendship. Persephone had no idea how it had happened; she had not quite expected the wave of photographers, gathered outside the hotel to greet her - and suffice to say, they had been relentless in their pursuit of her and the man they presumed to be her suitor.

"I cannot afford to have such... such bad publicity, at this time!" Grady came to a stop beside his wifes chair. Muriel placed a reassuring hand upon his, glaring down at Persephone who was still trying desperately not to break under the duress of the unfolding confrontation. "Six months it has taken me to persuade Anthony Pritchard to invest in my company... six months, and the papers have yet to be signed, therefore I cannot... will not, have you flaunting yourself about London with the likes of Helmsley! You may not flinch at the thought of tarnishing your own name, Madam, but I will NOT have you tarnishing mine!"

Persephone lowered her gaze, hoping that she would receive some support from her mother - but inwardly knowing that she would not, for she always took Grady's side in situations such as this; she claimed to know her daughter better than anyone else, yet she so often refused to believe a single word that came out of her mouth.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" Muriel spat.

"Lord Helmsley and I are naught but good friends, but I don't suppose you will take my word for it... why would you, when the local gossip column states otherwise?" Persephone rose from her chair, fists clenched behind her back.

"You will NOT leave this room until we have this sorted out, once and for all! This... behaviour cannot go on! I am growing tired of seeing and hearing of you in the papers! Even the Mirror printed a piece about your little outing with that Capper woman the other week! What next, Persie? Will you be joining the Suffragette movement too, so that you can continue publicly making a mockery of yourself and this family?" Muriel railed on at her, and by the time she had finished speaking, tears shone in Persephone's eyes.

"Mabel Capper is a friend of mine, Mama. But... oh, I forget; it seems I am not allowed to have those anymore, am I? Or should I rephrase that and say that I am not allowed to have friends unless they live up to YOUR expectations? That sounds more like it, do you not think?"

Muriel took a deep breath and turned to face Grady, "We cannot leave her behind, Grady. Lord knows what she would do, were we to leave her here! Is there any chance at all that you could get hold of another ticket?"

"A friend of mine is well acquainted with Bruce Ismay. I can try. But Muriel, are you quite sure about this?" Grady continued to watch Persephone from the corner of his eye, as he shuffled somewhat awkwardly on the spot and clung to his wifes hand.

"Of course I am sure! The girl will destroy us, and herself, if we leave her to her own devices! She is far too spirited for her own good, and you know full well how my sister is... she could not keep HER under control, if she tried." Persephone overheard them talking about her as if she were not there at all, which left her enraged. For a time, Muriel and Grady spoke in hushed tones, and try as she might - Persephone could not hear what they were saying. Eventually, Muriel rose and hooked her arm through Grady's. "You will come with us to New York, if Grady is able to purchase another ticket which I am almost certain he will be able to. I know I said that you could remain in London with your Aunt Clara, so to finish up your education but that is simply not an option anymore. I could not possibly leave now, knowing that you were left here practically unsupervised."

"I am not leaving London!" Persephone felt the anger bubbling up inside her, reaching dangerous heights as her mother waved away her objections and did not even bother to look her in the eye, "I will not let you do this! Not when you promised-"

"Save it, Persephone. Your mother and I have made our decision, you are coming with us whether you like it or not so I suggest you start making plans for our departure. We leave on the 10th. You may leave now, and begin making preparations for that day."

"I can assure you, here and now, that I am not going!" Persephone, by now overcome by emotion as she contemplated the seriousness of her situation, darted out of the sitting room and headed in the direction of her own apartments; surely, her mother would not follow through with her threats? It would be easier for all involved if Persephone remained in London whilst the rest of her family made for their much talked about new start in New York, for what was she but an unnecessary spare part? Empty threats were all Muriel Barrett had to keep her daughter in check; yet deep down, Persephone had a feeling that she had well and truly crossed the line, this time...


	3. Chapter 2: And So It Begins

_April 10th, 1912  
11am_

The traffic became increasingly troublesome the closer they got to Southampton; it was of course to be expected, considering the fact that in just an hours time, the greatest ship ever built by the hand of man would set sail on her much talked about maiden voyage. The R.M.S Titanic was reputedly the largest, and most beautiful, of her kind and in setting sail, history would be made. Already, people were clambering to the docks in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the beautiful liner herself.

Persephone sat in the back seat of the car, her hand folded neatly inside that of her grandmother, Ada Locke. Just ahead of them sat Muriel and Grady Barrett, who were already making plans for their new life in America - despite the fact that they had yet to set foot on the vessel which would take them there. She looked up, a hint of a smile appearing in the corner of her lips as she heard the driver cursing passers by as they lounged in the roads, talking and gazing around. The energy and excitement all around them had reached fever pitch, and in the heat of the moment people had clearly forgotten the importance of steering clear of moving vehicles.

"Soon, we will be in Southampton. Are you excited, Persie? A new start for all of us... a new chapter in our lives, and it all begins today." Ada nudged her granddaughters arm and smiled warmly - and despite her best intentions, Persephone found herself smiling back. The kindness and warmth of her grandmother had always been her weakness; she wasn't the slightest bit excited about what was to come, but for Ada, she felt that she should at least make the effort to pretend that all was well.

"Of course, Grandmama. The Titanic is the grandest ship in the world, and we will be the first to travel on her. How could I not be excited?" She said, squeezing Ada's hand, blinking and looking away when she saw the doubt in the old lady's eyes. A quiet sigh escaped Persephone's lips; she should have known better than to lie to the person that knew her best. Grandmama could always tell when she was lying; she could read her like a book.

"I know that you are... less than pleased about all of this. But know that it is the right thing to do, even I am of that opinion. It is what your grandfather would have wanted. For you... for me, your mother; for all of us. He would have wanted us to be happy, and we all know how poorly things were working out for us in London. The memories... they brought naught but hurt; at least now, we can start again. Start anew. I hear say that Grady already has business ventures planned in New York... ventures which he believes will bring in a great deal of money. And are you not pleased by the idea of being reunited with Georgiana and Joshua?" A crooked smile appeared on Ada's lips, and once again, Persephone smiled back at her and tried her best to remain calm and collected - even though she felt tears stinging at her eyes. These days, the mere mention of her late grandfather brought upon her some overly emotional response. It had been over a year since his death, but she still failed to comprehend how difficult life had become without him in it. The behaviour which her family so despised had all stemmed from her constant need to find a distraction, so that she would not spend every waking minute thinking about him. Everyone else seemed to have moved on with their lives, even Grandmama was coping - but Persephone just could not shake off the grief which had all but completely taken over her life. She thought about him daily... she cried for him daily, and the thought of leaving behind everything she knew and which reminded her of him pained her even more than she could even begin to explain. She had been most unwilling to leave London, and had openly disagreed with her family's plans right from the very start. She had had so wanted to remain in London, just as her mother had promised she could at first, until the incident with Lord Helmsley. From then on, both Muriel and Grady had been adamant that she would accompany them to New York - and in the end, she'd had little choice but to go ahead with their plans, for she knew deep down that without her family's support, she simply could not survive. She had no money of her own, and as of yet she remained unattached and with no sign of making a marriage anytime soon. She had no other close relatives with whom she could stay with, either; her father resided in London somewhere, or so she had heard, but he was all but a complete stranger to her and would not relish in having his estranged daughter forced upon him in the blink of an eye. The fact of the matter remained, that if her immediate family decided to move to New York, then she must go with them.

"Maybe so, but that does not mean that I am happy about this. I do not wish to leave England behind, for this is the only home I have ever known! I have friends here... I had a future here! What if things go awry in New York, Grandmama? What then? We return? It might be too late by then!" Persephone shook her head and heaved a sigh, resting her head against the window and gazing out at the people who passed her by - some of them finely dressed and visibly rich, whilst some of them wore rags and carried but a single suitcase in their hands. She had never before seen such an odd mixture of people in a single place.

"You are so alike, you and your Grandfather. He was stubborn as a mule too - and ALWAYS overly dramatic. Now stop sulking, and ready yourself... we are here." Ada let go of Persephone's hand, just as the car came to a stop and the driver climbed out.

Persephone felt her heartbeat quicken as the door was opened for her, and a hand appeared. She gratefully took it, and removed herself from the car as quickly and as elegantly as she could. All around her, were people of all different social standings, characterised only by their clothing. She did not look up at first, and instead kept her eyes lowered - whilst one hand still rested on the car door.

"Is she not beautiful, Grady?" Her mother said, obviously in awe of what she was seeing.

"The most beautiful, darling - a floating palace, if ever there was one!" He replied, climbing out after her and coming to stand beside Persephone. "Persie?"

Persephone pretended not to have heard him, for she had finally looked up - and her eyes and attentions were now fixed firmly upon the most glorious ship she had ever seen. A true work of art, and by far one of the most incredible achievements known to man. The R.M.S Titanic loomed over them, stretching out for what seemed like miles and basking proudly in the late morning sunshine as crowds gathered around her waving to the passengers already onboard, who were waving and calling out gleefully from the decks. Suddenly, she forgot her uncertainty - and a genuine smile crossed the length of her lips, for as unhappy as she was about travelling to New York, even she could not deny the beauty and majesty of the Titanic. She was every inch as beautiful as the press had reported her to be, and more so. Persephone felt her mother take her arm, and at that moment tore away from the daydream of a few moments previous. Beside them, Grady and Ada barked orders at the men who had come to assist them with the luggage. Persephone blocked out all of their voices, concentrating only on her... the beautiful Queen of the Ocean, so she had heard her called. They made their way through the crowds, Persephone and her mother walking arm in arm whilst Grady and Ada followed closely behind.

"Tickets! Tickets! Darling, do you have our tickets?" Muriel exclaimed, just a hint of nervousness appearing in her voice as Grady pushed to the front and pulled out their boarding passes. A sigh of discontentment escaped Persephone's slightly parted lips, for it suddenly all felt so real... there would be no turning back now. The officer at the top of the gangway smiled and took the passes, examining each one in turn before he handed them back and stepped aside. Everyone entered, but Persephone lingered in the doorway, which earnt her a strange look from the waiting officer.

"Good day, Miss. Welcome to Titanic." He inclined his head politely, and with a small smile Persephone passed him and stepped inside. The ship was a showpiece, that was for sure; lavish decorations and pictures hung from the walls, and the smell of fresh paint hung in the air. She and her family gently pushed through the crowds, and made for the first class entrance which stood proudly a short distance away. The importance of separating the three classes on board had already become visible to her, and for a moment she felt quite disgusted by how easy it was to distinguish between individuals based on nothing but wealth and social standing. It is most unfair. To her, equality had always been important; her grandfather had taught her not to judge someone, just because they were different, but the care taken to make sure that first, second and third class passengers would never have cause to collide was startlingly obvious.

"We have adjoining cabins, of course. BEAUTIFULLY decorated, or so I have heard - all of the furnishings, brand new and individually hand made especially for Titanic. Thomas Andrews truly is a genius, that much I can see already... to have designed a ship so grand as this. The White Star Line is lucky to have him! Speaking of which, I hear Mister Andrews himself is travelling to New York with us! Fancy that! And Mr Ismay, too. I wonder if we will come across either of them? Perhaps we can invite them to dine with us one evening!" Muriel wittered on, clearly excited and without a care in the world as she lead the famly through the corridors in search of their cabins, which were located up on A-Deck. Persephone, meanwhile, was more interested in her surroundings than anything her mother had to say; she longed to explore the grand ship which would be her home for at least the next week or so. There would be so much to do, and many an interesting person on board with whom to converse with. It made the idea of New York seem much less excruciating, and she was determined to at least make the best of a bad situation.

"Ah, here we are! A-Deck, cabins A39 through to A41." Grady announced brightly, signalling to a passing steward who quickly approached - clipboard in hand. He took everyones names, and once confident that everyone was who they said they were, he presented Grady with a key before hastily bowing and speeding off in the opposite direction. As per usual, Persephone was the last to enter - and when she did, her mouth fell open as she took in the grandeur of the lavishly decorated rooms inside. Once again, she noticed how fresh and new everything looked and smelt; portraits hung from the walls, and a mahogany fireplace lit the room - a dramatic, exceedingly beautiful centrepiece.

"My things?" Persephone turned on her heels, just as a small group of maids and serving boys entered with all of their suitcases. Picking out her own, she took it from one of the girls, holding it close to her - as if fearful that it might be misplaced, otherwise. "Thank you. Now if you don't mind, I wish to unpack - and settle into my new suite."

Persephone smiled, ignoring the objections of her stepfather and the disappointment in the eyes of her mother and her grandmother as she swept past them and made for her cabin. Clearly, they had all hoped that she would stay and share in their excitement, but in truth all Persephone wanted was to be away from them; she wanted to see the faces of those down on the docks, as Titanic departed. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and she was determined not to miss out. So, once everyone thought she had retired to her suite once and for all, she slipped out of the door at the far end of her sitting room and headed in the direction from which she had come. The sound of the ships great horn, mixed with the excitable cheers of the crowds below filled the air as she found herself out on the boat deck. Passengers from first through to third class had all gathered by the ships railings, waving and calling out to the people they would soon be leaving behind - perhaps forever.

"All aboard!" A man whom Persephone presumed to be an officer yelled, just as the gangway was removed and the large ropes from the pilings were pulled away, finally freeing the magnificent ship from the confines of the docks.

"And so it begins..." Persephone uttered, rushing to join the people who hung over the railings. The ships horn gave another loud blow, and then she burst into movement - her maiden voyage finally taking shape.


	4. Chapter 3: Omens

_April 10th, 1912  
Midday_

The grand ship drifted along the docks, casting a shadow over the crowds come to wave her off. A number of small tugboats floated alongside her, guiding her out to sea and ensuring her safe passage out of the Southampton docks which had held her captive for just over a week. Persephone hung over the railings, leaning further over when she heard the people around her gasp, their whispering barely audible over the sudden noise of the newly lit engines; at first, she presumed that the sudden increase in noise was due to the excitement - and because the ship was so new and unused, but it soon became clear that something was wrong, for the smiles had gone from everyones faces, replaced by expressions of concern, fear and worry. Some of them stepped back, whilst others clambered forwards in the hopes of getting a better look at whatever was going on below them. Persephone clung to the railings, furrowing her brows as she gazed downward - her own eyes wide with wonder as she finally realized what all the fuss was about. The Titanic was barely out of the docks, when another much smaller vessel seemingly appeared out of nowhere and came loose of its tethering, floating out to join her and coming dangerously close.

"We're going to crash!" Came the frantic calls of passengers as they fell away from the side of the ship and moved off in the opposite direction. Officers appeared and began ushering passengers away, whilst down below, men worked hard in an attempt to drag the newly released boat back to shore. Persephone lingered by a small group of officers, hoping to listen in on their conversation and find out exactly what had happened.

"The SS City of New York," One of the men announced in a thick Irish accent, gesturing to the boat which had very nearly collided with their mighty Titanic. He continued on, speaking of how the great size of Titanic had caused the smaller boat's mooring cables to come loose due to the sudden strain. He did not seem at all distressed, and his confidence in Titanic was plain for all to see as he loudly proclaimed that she was 'unsinkable' and the little charade involving the New York was nothing to worry about. The majority of the people were much assured by this, but not Persephone; she couldn't help but shudder at the thought of what COULD have happened. It seems that within moments of the maiden voyage having begun, a disaster had been narrowly averted. Though the newly freed SS New York is a great deal smaller than Titanic, she still has the potential to cause a great deal of damage. Thank God she was brought under control before the worst happened!  
Persephone desperately tried to remain in ear shot of the officers, for she wanted to hear more - but it soon became impossible; already, the passengers out on deck where beginning to retire to their own parts of the ship, and she found herself being dragged out with them. The show was well and truly over. She quickly made her way through the first class entrance, and back to her cabin - though she had no idea how she managed to successfully find her way back through the labyrinth of corridors without getting lost. Slipping through the door, she soon came to realize that her little adventure had not gone unnoticed, for in the foyer stood Ada - looking less than impressed. Persephone sighed, eager to avoid an argument and instead fill her grandmother in on the details of what she had just seen.

"There has been a delay. We nearly had an accident, if you are wondering why the engines have stopped. One of the boats tethered to the docks broke free and nearly hit us, but the men back on shore managed to pull her back in eventually. They are still working on returning her to the side; I doubt we will be able to continue until they do and who knows how long that will take." She shrugged her shoulders and gazed around the room, wondering where her mother and Grady had gone, for Ada was seemingly alone. Her grandmother listened intently, nodding along in all of the right places, and offering her granddaughter a cup of tea - which Persephone gratefully took. There was not a hint of worry in the old ladys face. She looked just as calm and serene as the officers out on deck had.

"I am sure we will be off in no time. We are due in at Cherbourg this afternoon, to pick up more passengers. I don't expect the Captain would be all too pleased if we are delayed too long before we have even had the chance to depart Southampton!" She laughed and sipped at her tea. Persephone smiled, though inwardly she could not help but feel a little apprehensive; it had not been a good start to the voyage, and though she was not usually at all superstitious, she had to wonder whether the near collision with the SS New York had been a bad omen for what was to come.

With the disaster at Southampton behind them, the Titanic steamed across the English Channel, headed for France.  
"We're due at Cherbourg just after 6, so I have heard." Muriel mused, as she examined her perfectly dressed reflection in the mirror which adhorned the sitting room. Grady nodded, looking up from his newspaper and smiling as he saw the effort to which his wife had gone in order to make herself presentable for evening dinner. "You know, I heard that Dorothy Gibson will be boarding in France... I wonder if she will be with that lover of hers? She created quite the scandal, bedding a married man and then having the nerve to boast about it. Her poor mother! Oh, she must be so ashamed."

"You're one to talk about scandal." Persephone muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me?" Muriel glared at her daughter, her expression a warning in itself.

"All I am saying, Mama, is that you should not judge people so freely." A wry smile fell upon Persephone's lips, as she adjusted her own appearance - running a comb through her long red hair, which had become somewhat tangled after her time out on the boat deck. Muriel turned to face her daughter, still looking somewhat taken aback. Placing one hand on her hip, she shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Well if YOU were to do anything like that, I would be most displeased. One cannot help but judge someone who is openly shaming her family the way SHE is. It is disgusting... think of the poor mans wife! And this is all happening in the midst of the public eye, too. Despicable." With another shake of her head, she turned and returned her attentions to the mirror. Persephone sighed, knowing that there would be no way of getting through to her mother on this; it was not that she approved of what Dorothy Gibson was doing... but she was firmly of the opinion that a person should not be judged straight away, without first being aware of the details. And besides, it wasn't any of their business anyway what the famous Dorothy Gibson did off screen.

"Are you not going to change, Persie? It's almost time for dinner." Grady smiled and looked down at his watch, folding his newspaper neatly and placing it down on the couch. With a shrug, Persephone rose and moved off in the direction of her suite. The prospect of dining with a hundred or more first class passengers, all of whom cared little for anything but money, business and politics did not excite at her all but what choice did she have? Taking a deep breath, she slipped out of the gown she'd been wearing since they left London that morning, holding it in her arms and thinking about how dfferent things had been then; it seemed like an age ago, when really it had been but a couple of hours. Everything seemed scarily new to her, and she had no idea what to do. The hustle and bustle of London was familiar and safe, and it was all she had ever known. New York, as exciting and wonderful as it may be, would never truly be her home.

"Oh Grandpapa, if only you were here. Perhaps none of this would be happening then. Perhaps we'd all be back home, where we belong." She pawed at the locket around her neck, a final gift from her grandfather... the last thing he had ever bought her, and the one thing which would always serve as a reminder of his love for her - of how important a part of her life he had been. As she stood before the mirror, examining her reflection and thinking about the forthcoming dinner, a sigh escaped her lips. Of course, she knew quite well how to behave at fancy parties and such like, but she also knew that none of her past experiences would be anything like dinner on board the Titanic. This would be a new experience entirely, and she knew that she had to get it JUST right; she had to look the part of the first class lady, and regardless of whether or not she wanted to, she knew she must act the part too. Taking a deep breath, she turned, so to look at herself from a new angle. Only then did she realize that she was no longer alone; her grandmother now stood beside her.

"Enchanté," Ada said, placing one arm on Persephone's shoulder.

"I am not yet dressed, Grandmama. Forgive me. I was... somewhat distracted by my thoughts." She sniffed back tears, and smiled brightly at her grandmother, desperate to hide all of her sadness and worry from her. She had suffered too much already, without having the weight of Persephone's troubles upon her shoulders as well.

"Do not apologize, my girl. I see that you are suffering, and all I want is to ease that suffering. Do you think your grandfather would want this? To have you upsetting yourself over his memory? As I told you in the car, all he would want would be for his favourite granddaughter to be well again - to get on with her life, and make him proud. You have a bright future ahead of you, my dear... you only have to turn around and face it, with a smile. You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen... you hold so much promise," Aba grabbed her daughter by the shoulders and gently turned her toward the mirror again. "Now dress, and lets go to dinner. It means a great deal to your mother, so for appearances sake lets please her, shall we?" She flashed a crooked smile and gently kissed Persephone's cheek. "How about that blue dress your grandfather and I bought you last year in Paris?"

"Oh, but it's SO old fashioned!" Persephone retorted, a mischievous smile lighting her features.

"But delightfully so! And you'll look beautiful in it." Ada clapped her hands and moved to pull open Persephone's suitcase, rooting through it in search of the dress in question. "Ah, here we go." In her arms, she now held a Victorian style gown with its long, sweeping train; it was a masterpiece, albeit a vintage one. The skirt curved outwards, and thre long softly coloured fabrics undoubtedly complimented Persephone's pale skin beautifully. The bodice was moulded on a tight, well-boned foundation, and the outer layer was cut a little fuller and longer in front than the lining, and was arranged to fall over the waistband. The sleeves were impeccably tight at the top, but flared out a little below the elbow giving a curved, flowing and extremely feminine effect. Persephone took the dress from Ada, and went about putting it on, turning so that her grandmother could tie the corset for her.

"See, enchanté. All of those first class gentlemen won't be able to take their eyes away from the most beautiful girl in the room."

"Grandmama!" Persephone scolded lightly, smiling. It was true, she looked quite lovely in the dress - and the fact that it had been a gift from her beloved grandparents only made it all the more special to her. It was not the latest fashion... far from it, in fact, but she had never been one to follow the trend anyhow.

"And the finishing touches..." Ada handed her a hat and some gloves, identical in colour and design to the dress, of course. Persephone pulled them on, playing with a strand of loose hair and twirling it about her fingers. She felt like a million dollars, and a part of her couldn't help but look forward to seeing what the first class dining saloon would look like. She had heard many things about it; apparently the White Star Line had spared no expenses in furnishing their beautiful new ship - their pride and joy.

"What time is it?" Persephone asked, curiously. Surely they would soon arrive at Cherbourg? She was eager to see France for herself, even if from a distance, and did not want to be caught in the dining room and rendered unable to see a thing.

"6:15, time to go. Come on," Ada slipped her arm into the crook of Persephone's, and the pair strode out of the bedroom and into the foyer, where Grady and Muriel were waiting.

"Oh, Persie! You DO look lovely! Did I not tell you that dress suited you well? You should wear it more often. Now, lets go - we don't want to be late now, do we? Not on the first night!"

"Of course not, mother. That would be a complete disaster!" Persephone mocked, as she and her family swept out of the cabin and into the crowded corridor. A number of people, like themselves, were making for the dining saloon - which was located up on D-Deck. Everyone dressed in their finest clothes, obviously out to impress.

They soon reached the grand first class staircase, and to Persephone - it was by far one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. It seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky, and the newly painted wood shone effortlessly in the light. As she looked up, her eyes were immediately captured by the glass domed roof, though it looked so very far away from where she stood, and she could barely make out the paintings upon the stained glass. The oak panelling and detailed carvings were an incredible achievement in themselves; it astounded her to think how much hard work had gone into making all of this so perfect. Bronze cherubs adhorned the walls and banisters, and chandeliers hung from all manner of places, making sure that the entire place remained lit at all times, for everyones viewing pleasure. The fore staircase featured a clock, surrounded once again by the most intricate carvings. Persephone longed for nothing more than to go closer... to examine all of this in close detail, but there was no time; not yet, anyway. That would be an adventure for another day.

"I told you Mister Andrews was a genius!" Muriel bellowed excitedly, as they all moved elegantly up the staircase, nodding politely to those they passed. Eventually, they reached the equally well decorated D-Deck entrance. Stewarts littered the corridors, holding doors open and making themselves available for passengers who wished to ask for directions. Persephone smiled at a particularly handsome young man, who stood in the doorway leading through to the main dining saloon.

"Thank you," She bobbed her head politely and winked as he held open the door for her, his eyes twinkling as they locked with hers; as she did, her mother flashed her a look of disapproval but she cared not. In truth, it felt pleasant to know that the young steward found her attractive, and there was no harm in sending a flirtatious smile or two his way, surely? As they moved to take their seats, Persephone gazed around the room in wonderment, completely taken aback by how wonderful everything looked. She looked down at her extravagant cutlery which had been laid out before, gently brushing her fingers over the little kerchief which was folded neatly before her - adhorned by the White Star Line logo. A short distance away, stood the band who were already playing. Rising from her seat, Persephone strode towards them, "Good day, gentlemen. How beautiful you all sound! May I request a song?" She smirked and looked at each of the men in turn. One of them placed down his violin, and eyed her with bemusement.

"I don't see any harm in it, pretty lady. What would you like to hear?"

"Autumn. It has long since been a favourite of mine, and to hear it played in such beautiful surroundings... well that would be quite special indeed, do you not think?" She gleamed, and turned to face her family. Of course, her mother looked quite surprised by how boldly her daughter had approached the bandstand. Grady simply sat smiling, as did her grandmother. Persephone winked at them, then returned her attentions to the dark haired man with the violin.

"Autumn it is, but first I demand to know the identity of she who wishes to hear it played."

"Persephone Swan. It's been a pleasure." She smiled and turned on her heels, furrowing her brows when she saw that the attentions of the people in the room had shifted from her, to a group of people who had just entered. She recognized them instantly as John Jacob Astor, and his wife Madeleine. The delicate little lady looked no older than Persephone herself, and had a gentle hand pressed to her slightly protruding stomach. A small entourage of people surrounded them, to their obvious delight.

"Don't stop on my account!" Astor called out, clapping his hands and smiling as a number of people rose from their chairs and rushed to greet him. Persephone rolled her eyes, flashing one more playful smile in the direction of the band before she headed back to her own table.

"I see we have arrived in Cherbourg," She pointed out, just as the band began to play her chosen song.

"Indeed. Oh, would you look at little Madeleine Astor! So elegant and graceful... Persie, if only you could be more like her. 18 years old, and she has made such a good marriage! You, on the other hand, will die a spinster if you don't get a move on!" Muriel chuckled as she helped herself to another glass of wine. Persephone, grumbling under her breath, filled her glass to the point of overflowing, looking up only when yet another group of people entered the room. This time, she did not recognize their faces; a middle aged lady hung on the arm of a man who was clearly her husband. She wore a long, flowing green dress, whilst her husband looked quite handsome for his age in a tailored suit. Behind them stood a young man, more than likely the son, who was also wearing a suit - though it was a little less extravagant in comparison to the older mans' and Persephone's first thoughts were that he looked somewhat out of place. Whilst his parents greeted their fellow passengers, he lingered behind them, smiling and looking rather nervous.

"And there are the Wideners," Muriel pointed out, leaning in to talk to Grady. "George Widener is a business man, and one of the richest men on board. Eleanor Widener, his wife, and of course their eldest son, Harry. On their way back to America from Paris."

"Wine, anyone?" Persephone broke in, a bright smile lighting her features. She cleared her throat and looked up, watching intently as Harry Widener and his mother moved towards an empty table close to their own. George Widener, meanwhile, remained in the doorway conversing with John Jacob Astor, and Bruce Ismay who had risen from his table and gone to greet them. Harry was undeniably handsome, and she couldn't help but look at him with admiration as he politely held out a chair for his mother, waiting until she was settled before he took a seat beside her. His short, dark hair was almost perfectly arranged with not a strand out of place, and his dark eyes twinkled as he gazed around the room, obviously in awe of what he saw - just as she had been.

"I told you it'd be beautiful," Persephone heard him say, as he leaned in and whispered in his mothers ear before momentarily lifting his eyes. All of a sudden, he gazed at Persephone, and a small smile passed his lips when he realized that she was looking at him too. He looked away almost instantly, and continued to speak with his mother. Blushing profusely, Persephone clung to her glass of wine with shaking hands. The band stopped playing and went about preparing sheets of music for the next piece as everyone around them applauded, including George Widener who had now joined his family at their table. More people filed into the room, but Persephone did not look at any of them and instead focused on listening in on her mothers conversation with Grady; they were talking about Dorothy Gibson again, and Persephone automatically figured out that the lady herself must have made her grand debut. Soon enough, waiters came rushing in carrying platters of food and drink, which were now placed before waiting passengers. The dining saloon was almost completely full now, and from listening in on the conversations of those around her, Persephone learned that Titanic had just left Cherbourg and was now headed in the direction of Queenstown, Ireland. 200 or more new passengers had just boarded, some of whom were here with them now - whilst others, including one Margaret Brown who was yet another well known name, had decided instead to retire to their cabins and unpack.

"For Miss Persephone, who so loves the Autumn waltz!" The lead violinist called out with a smile, holding out his arms in the direction of Persephone's table. Feeling her blush deepen, she simply smiled and politely inclined her head in the mans direction. She glanced around, and to see how many people were looking her way - and to her surprise, not many were; save for Harry Widener, that is. Harry sat watching her with wide, curious eyes, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips as their eyes met again. He held up his glass, then quickly looked away and threw himself into a conversation with his father. Persephone blinked and lowered her eyes, smiling to herself as she picked up her knife and fork and tucked into the food before her.

"Harry Widener," She mumbled under her breath, still smiling as she popped a piece of salmon into her mouth. The band began to play once again, and all of a sudden - she felt a great deal happier about her situation, and every now and again, her gaze did shift to the face of the handsome young man at the table beside her own... the man she now felt determined to get to know better.


End file.
